


Mending Fissures

by hunny_k



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, M/M, Masquerade, Past Abuse, Slow Burn, lots of slow dancing, prompto has PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunny_k/pseuds/hunny_k
Summary: To celebrate the times of peace, Lucis and Niflheim come together for a celebration in the fashion of old times. Noctis isn't too thrilled at the prospect of a masquerade, but he ends up uncovering more than a disguise when he meets a quiet boy by the staircase.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 23
Kudos: 113





	Mending Fissures

**Author's Note:**

> So! This took me...a year and a half to write. Originally it was supposed to be for my best friend, but we're no longer on speaking terms, so instead I gift it to all of you guys! I poured a good bit of my soul into this, so I hope you can enjoy it. I will admit that I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but I'm learning to not judge myself so harshly. Thanks for clicking on this crazy little fic :)

Grand festivities. Lavish parties, an elaborate ball that existed for no other reason than flaunting wealth and status. Talks of peace with a hidden intent of climbing up any social ladder the elites could get their sweaty hands on. Not to mention the extravagant, over-the-top array of dining options coupled with numerous unrealistic individual expectations for each and every attendee.

All of these and a bit more were exactly what Noctis expected the instant he saw what he had to wear for the event.

"I get that I'm a prince, I really do, but do I _have_ to show up for this?" was his initial whine.

He'd worn suits before, of course, but this one in particular had to be the worst. The jacket and pants were black as night, with an inlaid pattern of silvery, elegant curling designs that were only visible when caught in the right lighting. Underneath that was a solid vest of nearly the same shade, and a light gray button-down that could almost be classified as white finished it off. Admittedly, it wasn't a terrible look, but it was incredibly uncomfortable on his body, serving purposeful appearances rather than functionality. Slouching was definitely not going to be an option.

While Noctis turned and scrutinized every inch of the ensemble on himself, Ignis only sighed. "Highness, it is necessary for you to attend. It wouldn't be ideal for the son of the host to not make an appearance."

Noctis stopped fiddling with the collar and met the eyes of his advisor. "You really think I'll make a difference?" he asked, exasperation seeping into his tone. "My being there or not doesn't matter. They'll still be doing the same thing. It's not like they're outright signing a peace treaty, anyway. All of this is stupid, Igs, and you know it."

Even with the chatter and rumors of better times to come and possible compromises, Noctis was near certain that the ball was nothing more than a hoax. Niflheim and Lucis couldn't seem to get along for anything, and that didn't show any signs of changing over stuffy greetings.

Ignis merely sighed again, his expression beginning to mimic the prince's own. "Noctis," he started carefully, "I know your stance on this situation. But I can say without much doubt that your father has a plan in mind, and all he needs on your part is for you to act civilized." He gave that pointed Ignis look, and Noctis' irritation was gone just like that. Damn him for guilt tripping so easily.

A scowl found its way to Noctis' face, the most unbefitting look on a royal. "I still don't wanna wear this outfit," he grumbled.

"And you haven't even seen the mask yet."

"The _what_?"

* * *

The way Noctis saw it, there were ups and downs to a masquerade. The obvious positive: he would be masked, and so would everyone else, which essentially meant that it would be more difficult for people to recognize him. That, and he could sneak away easier.

The negative: he had to keep _that_ on his face all night.

As he descended down the long staircase, his posture just acceptable and the visible parts of his face blank, Noctis felt sure he was descending right down into a televised scene of grandeur, and he was playing right into the mass.

A mix of personas met him walking into the throng of hoity chatter, not only in their mannerisms but their get-ups as well. Some wore simple suits or tailcoats, while others looked like they were playing dress-up in the most pompous outfits they could conjure up. Dresses ranged from fluffed-up ballgowns to sleek, modern silks that trained down to the floor, right to royal garments of political status from both countries' attendants.

Masks were of a similar exhibit. Gold, black, and white appeared frequently amongst the people, though that was about the only thing connecting them. Every one of them seemed unique, a select few even grotesque. Some were plain in design and a solid color, simple for the sake of following the masquerade precedent. Others were made to put on a show, attract any passerby to be met with "Oh, this? You'll never _believe_ how I came across it. And the price!"

A hearty majority were a compromise of the two. Masks that were neither bland nor extravagant, Noctis would have described them.

That was where his own fell in. Someone had to have decided that silver and black were his colors today, as that also made up the scheme of the fancy disguise on his face. The bottom left was silver, trailing up and across into a darker gradient on the right, where the corner flared up to resemble twisting branches, or maybe smoke. Around the eye slits were a shining silver pattern not unlike what covered his suit, fading into the darker areas like veins burrowing under skin. Every minute he had it on made him feel more and more ridiculous, not to mention slightly sweaty.

Noctis was spared a handful of greetings, as many were already engrossed in their own not-so-private conversations. From what he could hear, he wasn't exactly missing out.

What he _was_ interested in was standing by the array of decadent foods and whatnots until everything was over. The long table was almost guaranteed to give him an excuse not to dance.

Not far from where Noctis ended up parking himself, Gladio stood at attention beside another guard, their expressions matching and lacking much of anything but hard focus. Technically, Noctis wouldn't be in trouble if he snagged his shield to follow him around all night. He thought about that right up until a hand on his shoulder jolted him back to reality.

Turning around, Noctis couldn't say he was surprised at seeing his father standing there. He looked just about the same as usual in his royal garments, honestly. All he had extra was the gold mask to cover his age.

Regis' voice was calm and practiced when he spoke. "Do tell me you don't plan on moping around here all evening, Noct," was the greeting he offered.

Noctis bit the inside of his cheek. "Not _all_ evening. I might have to go to the bathroom at some point," he responded, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at his father. "Don't you have officials to talk to? I'm not being a bother to anyone, so you don't need to worry."

Tension crackled in the air between them, which Regis ultimately shut down with a quiet sigh. "That's what I'm worried about. This will not be successful until you participate with me. As future king, you must begin to leave your corner and venture out into the crowds. If you would please, at least find someone to dance with."

His plea was met with silence as Noctis trained his eyes on the ground. Dancing was decidedly not his thing, but…. "Guess it wouldn't hurt," he finally mumbled.

A faint smile softened the king's face. Noctis couldn't decipher if it was a look of pride or just a thankful one, but that didn't really matter. "Thank you, my son." Regis rubbed a gentle hand over Noctis' shoulder. "Someone from Niflheim, perhaps. Who knows, you might even enjoy something for once," he teased, bringing heat to Noctis' cheeks and a slight pout to his lips.

"Pushing it, Dad."

Regis gave a short laugh. "I'll check up on you later. Go on and have fun," he instructed.

With his strangely regal walk, Regis left Noctis alone by the table once more. Only now he had to look for someone to spend time with.

All the visible candidates had something to deter Noctis from them, some too obnoxious and some more silent and broody than even him. He was looking for someone that seemed nice but not overly-into conversation. A fair middle ground.

Eventually he decided on approaching a Niff that was standing alone beside the grand staircase, almost statuesque aside from the way their eyes flitted across the room through the holes of their mask. They were adorned with a long coat of white, the standard bold red cascading down their back and condensing to a point at their knees. Two thin stripes of the same color drew lines down their chest, and Noctis could see a simple black dress shirt and pants that tapered into tall, dark boots underneath it all. Bright blond atop their head solidified the look of a Niflheim royal. For a moment Noctis thought they were a woman, but he guessed otherwise as he stepped closer. Either way, Noctis was going to ask for a dance.

He cleared his throat, and the other man jumped in surprise. Noctis was met with wide eyes, a shade of purple-tinted blue that he had never seen before. His mask was blood-red, shaping his eyes perfectly and seemingly melting like hot wax down parts of his face. Certainly one of the more simplified theatrical masks out there. It fit him really well, but he still looked scared underneath it.

Noctis bit his lip for a moment as he tried to figure out what to say, then extended his hand, relieved when the man gingerly took it in his own. He took a quiet breath. "Hi, I'm Prince Noctis. I saw you standing alone over here and was wondering if you maybe wanted to dance with me."

He briefly thought that he had said something off or vaguely creepy, because the guy glanced around again before his attention settled on Noctis. Thankfully, he nodded and gripped Noctis' hand a little tighter in his own while they walked out to join the rest of the dancers.

It seemed like he wasn't going to talk up until they turned to face each other amongst the crowd. "Prompto," he finally said, his voice timid but clear. "That's me. Just Prompto."

Noctis took up Prompto's hand and rested his other on his side, then began to move with him to the rhythm of the music. "Cool name. Nice to meet you, Prompto," he replied, hoping he wasn't sounding too stuffy or forced like oh-so-many of the others here. He couldn't help but notice that Prompto avoided mentioning any title, though. That was a first for tonight.

They danced and mirrored the crowd, moving across the floor amidst the fanciful colors with as much grace as they could collectively manage. Which wasn't a whole lot. Despite the noises of the room, the silence between them was the loudest thing in Noctis' ears.

"So…"

"Um…"

Right, their interaction was officially going awkward. Noctis had nothing prepared to say to him, and Prompto certainly didn't appear to want to offer up any points of conversation, either. Why was he doing this, again?

A light blush appeared on Prompto's cheeks, his gaze turning down to the buttons on Noctis' shirt. "Sorry, I'm not used to much conversation. What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

Well, that was better than nothing. "Um, not politics. We could talk about how ridiculous I feel and how little I want to be here right now. I didn't even get to pick my own outfit," he joked, relieved when Prompto actually smiled a little. Somehow, that felt like a small victory in all of this.

Prompto's shoulders visibly relaxed, his body moving more into the dance and less stiff in his steps. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't get to pick out any of my outfits," he contributed. Noctis spun him around once. "But I say you should go change if you don't want to wear that."

Noctis bit the inside of his cheek as he considered it. "It's fine, I'll have too many people harping on me for not wearing all this fancy shit. I'll probably make up for it by spending the next few days lying on my bed in sweatpants. That's my real scene," he decided.

That actually drew a laugh out of his dancing partner. Apparently it was contagious, because Noctis heard the same noise from himself, and soon they were both bubbling with it.

"Gods, okay, I swear I do more than make jokes about myself," Noctis said through his laughter.

Prompto's expression stilled when he stopped laughing, though the hints of it still shone in his strangely-colored eyes. "Don't worry about it, I don't mind. This is…not so bad." Noctis had to admit that he was right; this was much less troublesome than he'd anticipated. He would be keeping that comment from his father, though.

They continued their dance, the silence no longer suffocating between them. The way they moved was less than stellar, but a shared understanding between them allowed a wordless conversation to direct their bodies to move together. Chest-to-chest, their eyes locked through their disguises, something connected. Something so oddly profound that Noctis couldn't describe it, though it hit him right in the chest as their souls seemed to tug them together. However, when the last note drawn from the echoing cello died away, so did Prompto's enthusiasm. It was like the music had brought him a temporary life, a flower in bloom only for a moment in the night just to close back up with the harsh daylight of reality. For a moment, they simply stood and stared.

Prompto let go of Noctis' hand, already starting to retreat back. "Thank you for the dance, Prince Noctis." His voice was once again trained and quiet, and he said nothing more as he turned to go.

"Wait, hold on," Noctis interjected. He grabbed Prompto's wrist, watching as the tension returned to his body in a flash. He let go.

A few stragglers moved out of their way, but they were near the edge of the crowd by now. Prompto was still frozen in place, as if stuck by a spell.

"You're here from Niflheim," Noctis said carefully. A nod in response. "So what's your title? What brought you here?"

There was another pause, a moment where the emotion returned. "Well, I'm—" Someone else called Prompto's name, and the color drained from the man's face. There was a faint hum in the air as a translucent chain suddenly made itself known around Prompto's neck. With its appearance came a rattle of links that trailed all the way back to the wrinkled hands of Verstael Besithia. "I'm nobody," Prompto whispered. And then he was being yanked in the other direction.

Noctis was frozen in place, wide-eyed in disbelief as he watched Prompto turn and hurry back to an impatient Verstael. It took someone bumping into him to make him look away, and by the time he regained his footing, the two were already heading across the ballroom.

 _What the hell was that?_ Noctis thought. He'd heard that the empire had a tendency of treating people by less than satisfactory means, but Prompto looked like a dejected pet on a leash. It was infuriating, and Noctis didn't even know him.

Finally, he moved out of the way of the still-dancing crowd and started back towards his earlier standing point by the table. Gladio was in his same spot, same position of attention. If anyone could move another person, he could.

But causing a disturbance to help one guy was probably not the most rational decision. Noctis stopped in his tracks, heaved a deep sigh, and turned to grab himself a glass of whatever drink they had out.

What was he going to do to help him? Was there anything he _could_ do? Why was he concerned about the affairs of Niflheim?

That look of familiar fear behind that mask of blood…that was what got him. There was a cry for help in that look, and it stirred in Noctis a feeling that he was responsible for giving him that help. If he didn't act now, it was going to haunt him forever. So he set out to do what always seemed to move things along—find Ignis and ask his opinion.

Finding someone specific in this crowd wasn't going to be fun, for sure. However, Noctis was on a kick of determination that he almost never had, so he was going to ride on that to keep him from giving up. He just had to think like Ignis to find him. There was almost zero chance that he would willingly put himself in the center of the room; that was taken off the list. Noctis hadn't seen him lingering near the table of food or the guards, either. Possibly near the opposite wall, the staircase _, somewhere_ . The only thing he was certain of was that he had to be in this room. Ignis had told him personally that he was going to stay "nearby" in case his assistance was required. _A specific place would've been nice to mention, Igs_ , Noctis thought in exasperation.

With that to go on, Noctis set down his empty glass and walked along the outskirts of the crowd.

He trained his eyes for that perfectly-styled hair, his clear voice, something. Or a flash of silver from the vest he was wearing tonight. Anything particularly _Ignis_ that stood out to him. No luck was presenting itself on the side of the room he was on.

Then he spotted a group of stark white, those streaks of red like an eye magnet. The Niflheim royals were beginning to break away from the mass and gather at the front of the room, it appeared. If Noctis had to guess, they were about to make a faux speech about peace and tranquility.

He didn't care about that, though. The person that grabbed his attention wasn't in any of the discussions at all. Standing in isolation off to the side, hands together and head down, was Prompto. It was heartbreaking. Those people right beside him were the very ones keeping him prisoner, a silent thing to follow them around at parties. And for what? To show him off like a shiny trophy? Noctis' upset quickly grew to anger, and he wanted nothing more than to storm over there and drag Prompto away from their clutches. But he had to keep going. For now. He could bounce ideas off of Ignis, and from there, he would figure out how to free him.

"Where are you, Specs?" Noctis muttered to himself. Not a moment later, he ended up right in someone's path, and they collided with a joined yelp. Noctis tried to right his footing in time to catch the girl he'd run into, but her dance partner had already taken care of that. He was met with two angry glares when he straightened out, a slight blush dusting his cheeks. "S-Sorry," he stumbled out, "it's kinda hard to see with the, uh…mask."

Not so much as a word in response, and the girl had already rolled her eyes and swept her partner back into the music. Right, maybe looking where he was going would be a good idea.

"A bit distracted tonight, are we?"

Noctis whipped around to face the speaker, physically deflating in relief at meeting Ignis' faint amused smile. Of course Ignis would find him first.

Eyes darting to the side, Noctis spoke in a hushed voice. "I need your help."

That made Ignis' smile fade away. "What is it? Has something happened?" he questioned, now following Noctis' near-frantic gaze.

The crowded room wasn't the right place to talk about this. Noctis gave a slight tilt of his head and turned on his heel, making a beeline for the large doors of the entrance. He didn't check to see if Ignis was following; the distinct click of his shoes on the polished floor right behind him was enough of a confirmation. As soon as they crossed over into the foyer, the music was drowned out to a dull, distant noise behind the thick walls, even though the door was still very much open. Noctis scanned the room for a secluded area where they wouldn't be overheard in this quieter space. Ignis had the good sense not to openly protest for now, so Noctis dragged him over to the far corner and turned around to face him straight on.

"I need to save someone," he stated firmly before Ignis could ask again. He was dead serious in his conviction.

Ignis seemed taken aback, and Noctis could guess that his brow had furrowed under his mask to match that slight pout that took hold of his lips. "Now, Noctis, I'm not sure where this is coming—"

"No, I'm not joking around! This isn't just some dumb thing I'm making up because I'm bored or protesting this weird masquerade," Noctis stressed. "There's a guy out there from Niflheim that they're keeping _prisoner_ , Igs. I don't care what's proper or what has to be left as-is, I can't just stand around all night knowing that he's going back to that. The way we danced, it was like that was the first taste of freedom he'd ever known. He needs to get out of there."

Posture deflating, Noctis took a deep breath, then looked right into Ignis' concerned face. "Look, I know this is going to sound ridiculous. But there's just something that's making me feel like I _have_ to do this. And I need your help to do it," he said.

There was a flicker in Ignis' composure, and Noctis knew he had him right then. "Alright, alright," Ignis caved, much to Noctis' satisfaction. "If we really are to stage some…heist, of sorts, to rescue this person, what plans do you have in mind?" he questioned. The slight distrust in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

Noctis shuffled in place, looking past Ignis to the crowded ballroom for a brief moment. "That's actually what I got you for. Thought you might have some ideas, since I'm not exactly an expert on stealing people," he admitted, a little sheepish in his delivery.

"And you think _I_ am?"

"Okay, not what I meant," Noctis replied.

The irritation in Ignis' narrow eyes was boring holes into Noctis' own at this point. "That aside, I need to at least know what he looks like," he continued through slightly-gritted teeth.

Noctis puffed out his cheeks as he let out a long exhale of breath. "Well, he's, uh…blond. Really cute." Shit, did he just say that? "And he's wearing the Niff colors with black underneath. I think he was a little shorter than me. Oh, and his eyes are this sort of blueish-purple," he offered up. Maybe he wasn't the best descriptor, but hey, it was something.

After a pause, he realized that Ignis was giving him that raised-eyebrow look again; he could tell even without seeing his whole face. "What? That's the best I've got, okay? He's one of the few people in that whole group that looks my age, so use that," Noctis finished, folding his arms over his chest.

They were getting louder than their intended whispers, and yet no person turned to investigate. In fact, a quick look around showed no person at all was even there to try. "Uh…where did everyone go?" Noctis could've sworn there had been at least a handful of people around just moments ago, but now the foyer was eerily empty. Even the distant music had stopped.

Ignis followed suit in casting a glance around the room. "Most likely back to where everyone else is gathered," he concluded fairly quickly. "If I had to guess, I'd say someone is about to make an announcement. The king did mention the potential for Niflheim to make a surprise of some kind, though I can't imagine what." That was vague as hell, Noctis thought.

No matter, he wasn't concerned with whatever fluff they were spewing.

Focusing on the important things, Noctis crossed his arms. "So, I was thinking of just nabbing him when nobody is looking. The only problem is they've got some kind of magical chain on him, I'm guessing so he can't escape," he mused lowly, drumming his fingers on his arm. Getting around that would prove to be difficult.

The mask which curled around Ignis' glasses like claws was removed, placed atop his head while he rubbed at his temples with deft fingers. "Am I correct in assuming that this chain is being held by only one person?"

Noctis nodded. "I think so. Old guy, looks almost like a classic villain but with half the charm," he offered for description.

"I see," Ignis murmured. He drew up to his full height once more, straightening his vest and adjusting his glasses. "Well then, in the hopes that the two aren't tethered to each other by some magical means, I believe the best we can do is to distract him in order for this boy to escape." Noctis opened his mouth, but Ignis silenced him with a finger to his lips. "At the _end_ of the ball. It will be easier for him to slip away during the bustle of everyone leaving. There has to be a certain point where it's too far for them to drag him back, so they'll have lost him," he reasoned.

Before Noctis could properly respond, Ignis had pulled down his mask once more and continued on. Noctis found himself being ushered towards the ballroom as his advisor quieted his voice. "I suggest you prepare someplace to take him, someplace a little more quiet and out of the way. We don't need him panicking and drawing attention to the both of you."

So Noctis' job was to map out an escape route and sneak Prompto out when the commotion was at its highest. That didn't sound entirely impossible, so he gave a nod, pausing just outside the large doors. He could hear the voices inside somewhat better, and from what he could tell, they were coming from the Niflheim officials. What they were saying, exactly, was a bit harder to distinguish.

Now was not the time for figuring it out, however. Sparing Ignis one more quick glance, Noctis gave him a quiet "good luck" and ducked to the right, out the side door and down the adjacent hallway.

As soon as the silence hit him, Noctis could feel the blood pounding in his ears. Had he been nervous this whole time? If he had, the adrenaline had surely drowned it out in the hype of the crowd. Now his blood was roaring in his ears, making him anxious to get this done and get Prompto the hell out of there.

He tried several rooms while avoiding going near his own. That felt like too obvious a choice, and surely if anyone went looking for him they would try there. Noctis would have to act innocent in the case that they _did_ search for their missing person.

Eventually, Noctis settled on one of the long-unused guest bedrooms that they had. It was a bit tucked away from the larger section of offices and rooms that were more frequently occupied, so that would be a more inconspicuous area without it being uncomfortable. After everyone left and things dialed down, he could move Prompto somewhere closer.

Satisfied with his choice, Noctis started his way back to the ballroom. Surely their little announcement would be over by now, and he could blend back into the crowd, maybe tell Ignis of his find.

When the world became loud and filled with music again, the air had a new buzz about it. The strings were once again playing their tempting waltzes, guiding the dancers around the open floor while others drowned it out with boisterous laughter and equally enthusiastic chatter. All seemed so normal, just as before. Only Noctis couldn't even think of enjoying it when the thought of Prompto weighed so heavily on his mind. People were enjoying this night while he was suffering alone in his own world. That didn't sit right with him.

The first thing Noctis did was return to the same spot he'd occupied before, near the long table by the far doors. He had a clear view of the place by the staircase where Prompto still was. Only now he wasn't surrounded by anyone, simply standing by himself. It was impossible to see his expression from that distance, but Noctis had to imagine it was more or less blank.

 _I'll get you out of here_ . That thought rang out in his mind, and some part of him hoped that Prompto could hear it, _feel_ it. The plea in his eyes was going to be answered.

The evening seemed to be dragging on for days, as if someone were deliberately turning back the seconds on the clock every minute just to drive Noctis crazy. He felt almost jittery while he waited, which drove him back out onto the floor before he could think twice. Surely moving around would do the trick of passing the time.

With the music picking up in tempo and spirit, Noctis probably should've expected to be swept away into more dancing. But he was closer to where Prompto was now, and how could he be paying attention when they'd just locked eyes? Noctis froze, contemplating if he should go to him now, when he suddenly found his wrist in someone's grasp. A young woman in a shimmery green dress and oddly leaf-like mask was tugging him in and smiling a bright smile. Internally groaning, Noctis could tell by her grip that she was not about to let go, so he bit back a sigh and obliged her to a dance.

Thankfully it was short-lived, as the woman let go and turned her attention elsewhere. That also meant that a different person dragged him back into movement.

It was like standing still was prohibited around here, Noctis noted bitterly. He wanted out of this mess, but every time he let go, another hand brought him right back into the twirling cacophony of music and laughter. Person after person, the dance growing ever more jovial. Lone masks seemed to stare Noctis down, their human counterparts melting away. Everywhere he looked, there were just _more_ of them, and they were surrounding him, refusing to turn away, suffocating him with the tendrils of smoke that wrapped around his face.

Then, as suddenly as he'd been dragged in, Noctis was spit out of the crowd to stumble backwards into the staircase. He half fell, half sat down on the steps, his chest heaving as he fought to regain his senses.

"That's hardly how I taught you to dance, Noct," came a voice beside him.

Noctis immediately grew annoyed. "Why are you so difficult to find today?"

Ignis held out a hand and pulled the disheveled prince to his feet, taking the opportunity to smooth out his clothes and straighten his mask. "Perhaps you're just not very good at looking," Ignis returned. "Anyhow, that is hardly important right now. Something happened while you were out."

The look that overtook his face was not one that Noctis found particularly comforting.

Just as he opened his mouth to ask about it, a white robe sweeping across the dark floor caught his eye. He turned and was met with the cold, pallid face of Verstael. Quite honestly the last person Noctis wanted to be around. Stifling an annoyed sigh, he regarded the old man with a slight pout on his lips. "Can I help you?" he asked, putting forth no effort into concealing the sharpness of his voice.

Faded lips peeled back over worn teeth in what was most likely supposed to resemble a smile, though the word _snarl_ seemed more fitting. "No need. I simply wanted to congratulate you on your new…well, whatever it is you want to call it," was Verstael's languid reply.

Noctis was taken aback. He spared Ignis a glance, and it became very clear that everyone was in the know aside from him about whatever the hell was going on.

"My what?"

Verstael's eyebrows raised. "Ah, were you not there? My, my, where are my manners? It's no wonder you are confused. Let me fetch you your gift, highness."

Despite Noctis' outstanding confusion, Verstael still made no verbal effort to explain. Instead, he held out a gnarled hand and snapped his fingers. Moments later, that eerie chain was in his hand once again, draining the blood from Noctis' face.

And then Prompto was standing beside him, head down with a vacant expression about him. The wax-like mask no longer obscured his face, instead nestled in his gold hair, revealing cheeks dotted with freckles that Noctis hadn't noticed before. He could see nothing in him that indicated life, not that joy or fear he had caught glimpses of earlier, nothing. He looked like a zombie.

Were they expecting Noctis to keep him that way?

Despite the horror Noctis was feeling, he felt that chain being dropped in his open hand. It sent a shudder down his spine. "What the hell?" was all he managed after a few moments more of disbelief.

He watched the sneer grow on Verstael's lips. "Did you not hear? This is your gift. One of our finest, may I add," he stated, obviously proud of himself. "But I can see that you look a little…shocked. While I don't want to believe that you don't like him, you don't have to accept if you don't want to. That would be such a shame, however. I personally brought him here just for you. And you seemed to enjoy your little dance earlier, even though I had given him specific instructions not to speak to you yet." He rested his aged hand on Prompto's shoulder. The younger man flinched ever so slightly, which only served to make Noctis' anger rise. It took everything in him to not swat him away right then.

Instead, Noctis took a step closer to Prompto, that hardened look on his face returned. "No," he returned sharply, "he's not going back with you. I accept." He gritted his teeth as he got out the next part. "Thank you."

Verstael relinquished his grip with that sickening smile, and Noctis realized then how tightly he had been squeezing Prompto's shoulder. Not wanting to scare him further, he refrained from putting that protective arm around him like he wanted to. He didn't like having that chain, either, but a quick glance down told him that it was no longer in his hand. Right, magic. It wouldn't appear unless he made it.

"Well, then, please enjoy," was all the Niff had to say after that.

Moments later, they were alone; at least, as alone as they could be in a crowd like this. Noctis looked back to Ignis, lost as ever, before turning his attention back to his new…"gift." Prompto was simply standing there, hands held in front of him and that slight tilt of his head still keeping him from looking directly in his eyes. "Hey…Prompto?"

Prompto bowed his head even lower. "It is an honor, your highness. What can I do for you?" he asked in a cool, practiced voice.

"Oh, that's really not necessary," Noctis quickly replied. "You don't have to do any of that stuff they said, I don't want that."

The look that came over Prompto was the most expression he'd seen on him this entire exchange. "But…that's what I'm here for. Am I not good enough? I promise you, I'm very adaptable!" His voice was cheery, but it sounded artificial.

Noctis had no idea what to say. Whatever the hell they'd done to Prompto since they spoke before, it sounded like it was going to take a lot to undo.

* * *

Prompto was… _interesting_ to have around the Citadel. To say he was adjusting was a bit of an incorrect statement; it was more like he was discretely trying to find orders and follow them. He would only go down to eat once Noctis did, he continuously asked if he was needed for anything before turning in for the night, and he seemed genuinely awkward when the answer was always returned with a decisive "no."

That was the worst part, in Noctis' eyes. Despite the freedom from his servitude—and Noctis had made sure right away to dispel those magical chains that had been passed to him—Prompto still refused to make any decisions for himself. It was frustrating. He'd assumed that having this new freedom would lead to Prompto exploring his own interests and the like, but he just _wasn't_.

It was one night after a particularly stressful chain of events that Prompto chose to be extra attentive and helpful, like he was _trying_ to press the buttons on Noctis' guilt factor.

On his way to the dining hall, scuffing his feet on the floor, Noctis had his mind set on grabbing something to eat and going back to his room. He could watch a movie on his phone while he ate, then pass out until the next afternoon. That sounded like a good time to him. Unfortunately…

Noctis sighed. Prompto was waiting for him by the door. Not that he was annoyed at seeing him, but he knew what was about to go down, and he was not in the mood for it.

With a smile and a nod, Prompto moved to get the door before Noctis was even twenty feet away. "Good afternoon, Prince Noctis," he greeted in that faux chipper tone he used around him. He couldn't quite put a finger on why it bugged him so much. "Are we eating dinner right now?" he continued.

The door swung open to reveal the room waiting beyond. Already feeling his soul dragging on the ground, Noctis stopped and glanced from the room to Prompto, who was still standing there as a door stopper with that servant's smile on his face. "Um. I was going to, yeah," Noctis told him.

He continued on through, and Prompto followed suit. "Great! Where would you like me to sit, highness?"

Hearing it again nearly made Noctis wince. "Don't call me that. And you can sit wherever, I was just gonna eat in my room tonight," he stated, hoping that was enough to dissuade him for today.

But, of course, it wasn't. A quick glance back showed Noctis that the smile on Prompto's face had gone a bit strained and awkward. "I'm sorry. Would you like me to join you there? And if you tell me what you want to be called, I would be glad to do it!"

"Just Noctis is fine, thanks." He grabbed the tray left out for him and turned on his heel to head back down the hall.

Footsteps echoed in succession behind his own. Noctis let it slide at first, hoping that he would turn away and go to his own room. By the time he reached his door, however, it seemed that wasn't happening. He paused, and Prompto stopped behind him as well. Balancing the food on one hand, he opened the door, but didn't enter yet. Still, Prompto made no moves to leave.

He wasn't going to go on his own volition; Noctis was going to have to take this upon himself. So he set down the tray inside and turned to face Prompto. "Look, is there something you need?"

Prompto looked taken aback. "O-Oh. No, highness, I was just—"

"Really, I don't want you calling me that," Noctis stressed.

There was a pause. The smile that Prompto had sported finally faded, and he broke Noctis' gaze. "But I…you're royalty. I was made for you, so I should be calling you more than just N…your name," he said, his voice timid.

Noctis took a step forward, and Prompto's eyes snapped back to him, wide and a little fearful. He stopped. "You got it all wrong. You weren't made for me, okay? So please, _please_ stop acting like it. Isn't there something else you want to do? Something that doesn't involve me?"

Prompto looked at a loss for words as Noctis waited for an answer. "Why would I need to? Things are great here with you. I don't need to do anything else," he eventually replied.

The frustration inside of Noctis was festering. "No, you don't have to say that. What I want is for you to start doing your own thing. That's why I accepted that stupid offer in the first place," he stated, running a hand through his hair.

Finally, the act seemed to snap. Prompto bit his lower lip, his eyes downcast. "I'm…not quite getting what you're saying."

Noctis looked at this man in front of him. Bright and silent when he needed to be, currently cowering in the hallway. "I just want to know what happened to the guy I danced with that night. He wanted out of this situation, not more of it. Where did _that_ guy go?"

"So do you not like me?"

"I don't _know_ you, Prompto. That's what I'm trying to say."

Then there was silence once more. Since when had the hallways been this loudly quiet?

Prompto was the first one to break it after an uncomfortable amount of eye contact. "Okay," he said. "I'll be in my room if you need me. Enjoy your dinner." The words were dull, lifeless. And then he turned and walked down the hallway.

Noctis was stuck in the doorframe for a while after that, processing what had just happened. All he wanted was for Prompto to start living for himself, not for Noctis. That wasn't a bad thing to want, right?

But…no. That look of dread, and the way he reverted back to that quiet obedience—Noctis had caused that. He'd only been thinking of himself, what _he_ wanted. That was exactly what he had wanted to distance himself from. He was genuinely angry at Prompto for being afraid, and that realization drained all of his anger. Maybe his intentions were there, but it wasn't worth breaking him even further. No amount of frustration would help things along if he really wanted to do this.

It was only then that he remembered his abandoned dinner. He stepped back into his room and stared down at it. "Fuck," he whispered, "I'm such an asshole." Prompto had been waiting for him so he could have dinner, too.

He picked up the tray once more, but didn't take it to his bed. Instead, he went back into the hall and right down to Prompto's door. After setting it on the floor, he knocked and hurried back to his own room to start thinking up an apology.

For the next several days, Noctis hardly saw a glimpse of Prompto. He was no longer waiting for him at every doorway, nor was he showing up for that nightly question of "Do you need anything from me?" He saw him once, on his way to bed. All Prompto had offered up was a polite nod before disappearing into the adjacent hallway.

Noctis felt somewhat lost about it all. He couldn't simply order this struggling person to enjoy life; that would be contradicting his own point. However, if he worded it right, maybe talking to him as a friend could coax him in the right direction. An apology was well in order, too.

So, with somewhat of a plan in mind, he went on a search for Prompto. He doubted it would take long, seeing as Prompto usually found him first—even if he was avoiding him, he was still always nearby. A quick check confirmed that he wasn't in either of their rooms, so Noctis started down one of the main hallways, hoping to spot a hint of blond somewhere.

After some time of meandering through rooms and hallways that landed him in the back of the Citadel, Noctis was stopped by faraway laughter coming from the direction of the chocobo stables. Who was that? Curiosity got the better of him, and he changed his focus to the direction it was coming from.

Surprisingly, both roads led him to the same place. Standing in front of the stall of a chocobo, arms wrapped around its neck, was Prompto. He had his face half-buried against yellow feathers, and he was laughing as the large bird twisted to nuzzle him in return. Another chocobo tried getting in on the attention by shoving her head against his from the next stall over, which only made Prompto's joy brighten. No wonder Noctis didn't recognize the noise; he'd forgotten the sound of that laugh.

"Alright, okay, one at a time," he was saying. Neither of the birds were listening, of course.

Noctis felt a smile begin to tug at his lips. Seeing Prompto laughing was a reminder of that glimpse of happiness Noctis had seen in him when they were dancing together. He was going to do whatever he could to keep him from losing that happiness again.

It only took a few seconds of standing there for Noctis to be noticed, and Prompto practically jumped when their eyes met. "Oh, uh, Prince Noctis!" he stammered out, half hiding his blushing face behind the confused chocobo's neck.

Noctis let out a small sigh. "I told you, you don't need to call me 'prince' or anything other than just Noctis," he reminded him. "But hey. I was just checking in to see how you're doing, if you need anything, stuff like that."

Certainly not for the first time, Prompto looked uncomfortable. His gaze shifted to the floor, his bottom lip held between teeth. "I'm…fine," he managed eventually. "Thanks, Prince…I mean, Noctis." The way his body language became more reserved was impossible to ignore, which almost dragged another sigh from the prince. This was going to take a while. He couldn't let the frustration get to him, though. If this was going to go well, he had to be patient from now on.

"Hey, um," he started, catching Prompto's attention once more. They locked eyes, and Noctis momentarily forgot his words. "I-I wanted to apologize. For the other night," he stammered.

Prompto's head tipped curiously to the side. "There's nothing you need to apologize for. You're allowed to speak to me however you want. I'm the one who's sorry for reacting that way. I didn't mean to seem ungrateful."

It took everything for Noctis to keep his jaw from dropping. Prompto was _really_ trapped in that mindset. "For real? No, no, please don't," he started once he gathered his scattered thoughts. "I know you might not be used to it, but I really want to apologize for this. You were just doing what you thought you should, so I can't fault you for that."

A chocobo in a different stall gave a loud "kweh," which made Prompto glance from it to Noctis with that strained, confused expression. "That's…but, I upset you. Isn't that a bad thing?" he questioned.

Noctis sighed. "Maybe, but that was just me being selfish. I think I was expecting you to be a different person once you realized that you're not anyone's prisoner anymore," he explained. "I should've been thinking about you and how you were feeling. This whole mess is probably a lot of adjusting for you. So I'm really, really sorry." Gods, he hoped he was doing this right.

Much to his relief, Prompto didn't outright protest. He gave a slight nod, a distant look in his eyes. "It's different," he admitted. "But it's better."

He didn't elaborate on that, but that was okay for now. Noctis managed a slight smile. "Glad to hear it. Oh, and one other thing," he continued. "What I said about that being the only reason I accepted the offer—I didn't mean that." At that, Prompto looked truly taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

This was it. He had to go for it. "I did enjoy dancing and talking with you, you know. Even before I found out about everything…I thought that we could try to be friends."

Prompto's eyes were wide as saucers. No words left him, and for a second Noctis thought he'd screwed that up, until his lips finally moved. "Me?" he asked quietly. "You want to be friends with…me?"

Noctis nodded. "If you're okay with that," he added.

A faint blush tinged Prompto's ears red. "S-Sure."

"Cool."

And…the conversation trailed off.

The chocobo in front of Prompto lightly bumped her beak against his face again, seemingly demanding more attention. The poor soul in question looked torn between the bird and Noctis, but he tentatively raised a hand to continue petting her when Noctis didn't speak.

Standing there in awkward silence wasn't going to produce any favorable outcomes. So, calm and slow, Noctis stepped forward to join the chocobo-petting session.

Unfortunately, Prompto didn't spark up friendly conversation right away like Noctis wished he would. Oh well, it was a fruitless wish, anyway. Instead, he nudged his shoulder against Prompto's and continued petting the large bird. "They're cute, huh?" he noted, feeling along feathers as he spoke.

Prompto shifted beside him, thankfully not moving away. "Mh-hm. I'd never actually seen one before, but now I think they're my favorite animals. I've been in here a few times to visit them." He paused, and Noctis finally looked over. "I'm allowed to do that, right?" he questioned, eyes wider.

"Do you _want_ to?" Noctis countered.

Another pause. Prompto did that a lot when he looked like he was thinking. "Yes," came the answer, small and hardly confident. But it was an answer, nonetheless.

Noctis shrugged. "Then okay. I won't stop you. The chocobos seem to really like you," he commented. One made a happy little chirp in confirmation. The corner of his lips turned up as he tried and failed to hold back a smile. "Plus, you kinda look like them."

Confusion colored Prompto's eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I _mean_ ," Noctis replied, taking a moment to pass his fingers through the other's blond hair so that the shorter ends stuck straight up, "that your hair is the same color as the chocobo feathers. You could totally be a secret chocobo, dude." The bewildered look on Prompto's face made Noctis laugh. "Hey, I'm just speaking the truth. You have chocobo hair," he teased.

Both of Prompto's hands flew to his hair, and he tugged it back down so that it obscured his reddening face. "I do not!" But then he took another look at the birds, squinted for a few moments, then twirled a lock of hair around a finger. "Well, my hair isn't feathers. I can't be a chocobo without the feathers."

That was true. Noctis gave a slight shrug before picking up a stray feather that had fallen to the ground. After examining it, he produced it with a slight flourish as if he were gifting a handkerchief to a fair maiden. "There you go—one chocobo feather. Now it's official." That slight smile returned. If he were to put some thought to it, Noctis might say that he'd been smiling a lot more around Prompto than he had before they met. Even when the air was stiff with awkwardness between them, he still found himself wanting to clear things up and make Prompto smile back.

This time, he got it. Ever so slowly, Prompto took the tip of the feather between his thumb and forefinger, holding it like it were some delicate rose. At the same time, the corners of his lips betrayed him. "Thanks. A little gross, but thanks," he said, blinking up at Noctis with those too-gorgeous eyes.

Another beat passed, and Prompto let out a huff of a laugh as he held the feather up to the side of his head. "Better likeness now? Am I really destined to be a chocobo?" Now he was getting into the spirit of things.

With a curled finger on his chin, Noctis hummed in mock-thought. "I think you're getting there. Just a few more thousand feathers, and we're on our way," he stated.

Prompto laughed, making something in Noctis' chest flutter. Oh, gods.

Seemingly more relaxed now, Prompto let go of the feather to run his fingers through the full set on the chocobo they were still standing by. A comfortable smile was settled on his face. "Seems like a lot of work. Maybe I'll stick with being as I am for now," he decided.

"Sounds good to me," Noctis agreed. "I think I like you better as a person, anyway."

The light in Prompto's expression went somewhat dim. Noctis was worried that he said something wrong, but then Prompto turned to look at him once more, and he realized there was the slight dew of unfallen tears in his eyes. "Do you mean that?" was his eventual quiet question.

That took Noctis by surprise, which made him tip his head to the side. "Yeah, of course I do. Why?"

Prompto bit his lip. It took him a while to respond, but when he did, Noctis felt that sad ache all over again. "I don't think anyone's ever called me a person, before."

* * *

Weeks passed, and Noctis was thrilled to note that Prompto was warming up to life around himself. The two of them explored parts of the city together, Noctis introduced Prompto to his personal favorite hobby—which he wasn't a huge fan of in the end, but he did think the fish looked neat—and sometimes they would simply sit around and chat for a while if things were too mundane around the Citadel. Prompto became more open with conversation when Noctis adjusted his approach, eventually contributing his own thoughts without asking for permission first, which Noctis was extremely relieved about. It was much easier to discover who he was that way. And, Noctis had to say, he really liked who Prompto was.

As time went on, they discussed the possibility of getting Prompto his own place so he would fully be free of the thoughts of captivity. If he really wanted to learn to live just for himself, they figured living on his own would be a good start. A few months later, Noctis set down the last box in Prompto's new apartment.

While he was sad to think of not being around Prompto every day, Noctis couldn't help the happiness that filled his chest at seeing him so excited. Noctis was leaned over the box, chin in his palm and a stupid half-smile on his face, listening to the other chatter on about his plans to decorate as he walked around.

"Oh, and I can put some cool plants over here!" Prompto was saying as he adjusted things here and there. "I really like the flowers you guys can grow in Lucis. Way different than Niflheim." They still had a lot of unpacking to do, but that didn't seem to deter him in the moment.

Noctis stood up to stretch, then opened one of the nearby boxes. Kitchenware and such. "Think we should try to do this all at once, or just your room stuff for today?" he asked. Maybe he didn't have a whole lot of things, but gods, he still didn't want to do all of this at once.

Prompto let out a questioning hum and joined Noctis in the center of the room. "I don't know," he admitted. "Bedroom first? Does that work?"

Those boxes were already in his room, so Noctis shrugged. "Hey, it's your place, your rules," he reminded him.

Several emotions crossed through Prompto's eyes. He did a slow turn, looking over the place. "It is mine, huh? That's really weird. I've never owned so much before." He paused to huff a laugh. "Actually, before I came here, I don't think I owned _anything_ ," he corrected, picking up one of the plates. "Not even simple stuff. Not even…."

Of course, Prompto wasn't perfectly autonomous and carefree. Nobody ever could be, really, but his past wasn't that far behind him, and it obviously still haunted his daily thoughts. Noctis could see it in his occasional stiff body language when too many people were near, or hear it in the tepidness of his voice on his off days. Whenever he noticed it, Noctis always tried to give him a reminder that he wasn't back there anymore.

Now was no exception. Noctis touched Prompto's elbow with gentle fingers, silently asking if it was okay. When he received no kind of objection, his hand slid up to rest on his shoulder. "You know, I'm really happy for you. Part of me was worried that you wouldn’t adjust well, but now you're moving into your own place." Prompto leaned slightly into Noctis' hand, and soon after his shoulder was against his chest, and Noctis was hugging him.

"What I'm saying is that you've got this," he continued. "Everything in here is completely yours, and I know you're gonna be just fine with it. And you can always call me if you need something or someone to talk to."

Noctis knew he meant it. Even if it was only a request to hang out for a while, he'd drop just about anything to be by Prompto's side. Being around him was always a sure way to make Noctis feel at ease, forget about his princely duties. He could spend time with a person that he actually considered his friend. All he could hope was that Prompto felt the same way towards him. Maybe even a little more that Noctis hadn't quite come to terms with, yet.

To his relief, Prompto ended up snaking his arms around his middle to return the hug. "Thank you," was all Noctis heard, quiet and genuine.

When he stepped back from the hug, which was very brief—Prompto seemingly enjoyed being close, but he never let it last long—Prompto had a softer smile on his face. "So we should probably at least get my room set up, right?"

With a nod, Noctis followed him into the room and got to work unpacking the boxes in there. It didn't take long at all, and they ended up getting lost in the company and migrating to the kitchen to work on that section as well. Before they knew it, the sun was gone from the sky and all of the boxes were emptied in the little apartment.

Prompto took in a deep breath, doing a slow turn in front of his couch. "That's everything," he stated.

Noctis gave an approving hum as he looked around as well. "We did it," he agreed.

Maybe it wasn't much, but it was a start. It already felt like Prompto's place.

He seemed to be trying to hide it, but Noctis noticed Prompto bite his lip and tug at the hem of his shirt. He didn't exactly want to leave on an uncomfortable note, so he closed the distance between them and poked his cheek with a finger. "You're gonna be fine," he reiterated. "Just relax. You know what you're doing. And if you don't, just do what I do and call Ignis," he joked, which brought a little laugh out of Prompto.

"You're just terrible at everything," he countered, tensing up slightly right after. Still some things he needed to work on.

But Noctis simply shrugged, and Prompto unclenched his jaw. "Not _everything_. I'll have you know I am very good at a lot of things." He sighed. "But I do have to leave. Still up for getting those plants tomorrow?"

To his surprise, Prompto poked him right back, directly on the nose. "If you're sure you don't mind. That sounds like it'll be fun," he said.

"Of course I don't mind," was Noctis' immediate reply. Hopefully that didn't sound too…enthusiastic. It probably did.

Nevertheless, Prompto gave him a little smile. "Great. We can figure out a time that works and maybe get lunch together. If you want to," he tacked onto the end before he could get an agreement.

With a slight roll of his eyes, Noctis lightly flicked Prompto's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm down. Just text me when you decide on something."

While Noctis knew he had to get going and leave Prompto to his new place, part of him wished he could stay. But he needed to give him his space, let him have his time alone to start figuring his life out. They would still hang out, he reminded himself.

But as the door closed behind him and he started down the hallway, he couldn't help but think about just how much he was looking forward to tomorrow.

Noctis made it down to the ground floor where Ignis was waiting for him. "How fares our little fledgling?" he asked. "I take it that he's alright, seeing as he didn't try to leave with you."

The two of them joined up and headed towards the car. "Yeah," Noctis finally replied, hands shoved in his pockets. "He'll be fine. We got all of his things unpacked, and he's…yeah, he's doing great." And then they were in the car, and Noctis didn't even have to look to know that Ignis was eyeing him.

It was a few moments after the engine started up that Ignis spoke his thoughts aloud. "You seem a bit down, highness. Tired from unpacking? Or is there something else on your mind?"

Of course, no beating around the bush. Noctis let his head fall back against the headrest. "Tired." Ignis tapped his index finger on the steering wheel, and Noctis relented. "Okay, no need to yell," he grumbled. "Fine. I just feel weird," he admitted.

"And do you know why that is?" Ignis was pressing, and Noctis knew that he wasn't getting out of this, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

"Probably got used to having Prom around. I'll be fine after a few days of him being gone."

He dared to look up. That was a mistake; Ignis' eyes caught his in the rearview mirror. "Noct," he spoke softly. "You know it's alright to have feelings for him."

Immediately, Noctis' shoulders stiffened, and he turned to press his cheek into his palm to avoid looking at Ignis further. "Who said that's what's going on?" he retorted, focusing his gaze on the passing cars.

"I did, if I'm remembering the conversation correctly," Ignis said. "Do you really think I haven't noticed the way you are around him? You practically light up like I've never seen before. Now, I can clearly see that you care a great deal for him, so don't deny it. May I remind you that I am both your advisor and a friend?"

Guilt gnawed at Noctis. Not just for not admitting his feelings—it was the burden of having them in the first place. "I don't…" He trailed off, knocking his head against the headrest once more. "I don't feel like I'm allowed to be in love with him," he blurted out. Shit, had he just said _in love_? Now a few shades redder, Noctis let out an exasperated huff and closed his eyes.

Ignis took a moment to reply, but when he did, his voice was somehow still patient. "I see. Could you explain further?" he questioned. Noctis felt like he was being studied.

Nevertheless, he spilled what he'd been bottling up. "I dunno, Igs. What if it's not right for me to try and be with him? The guy spends his whole life being told what to do and how to feel, and then he's given to me so I can do the exact same thing. What if I tell him that I like him and he goes along with it just because he feels obligated to? I don't want to accidentally order him to like me back. I can't do what those awful people wanted me to all along."

By this point, Noctis had both hands pressed to his face. There was no way he could be with Prompto. He couldn't bear to revert him back to his ways of obedience and fear.

The car slowed to a stop, and Noctis dropped his arms to see Ignis turned to face him properly. "Do you see yourself like the ones who tortured that poor boy into that lifestyle?" he asked firmly.

"N…no."

"Good. And what is it that you want for him in life?"

The question made Noctis pause. "Whatever…he decides that he wants. As long as he's happy and okay. That's what I want."

Ignis gave a nod and returned his eyes to the road. "Then if you're not going to make that decision for him, you aren't going to make this one. You can't guess on his true feelings; you have to ask him yourself," he stated.

Noctis went silent. He let his head roll to the side, his forehead pressed to the cool glass as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. Even if Ignis was convinced, Noctis wasn't quite there. Being around Prompto this long, he knew that the other still had those tendencies he was forced into for so long. It still didn't feel right to ask.

But, on the other hand, Ignis' point had some validity. He would never know how Prompto felt about him if he spent all their time together hiding his emotions and never speaking up. Emotions were so complicated.

"Well?"

Noctis closed his eyes again. "Yeah. I'll think about it," he murmured.

* * *

As several more months came and went, Prompto grew a little more comfortable with his situation. He was happy to be living on his own and figuring out what he wanted in life, even if he sometimes fell back into that old state of mind. Whenever that did happen, Noctis would get a phone call with a quiet voice on the other end, and they would talk for a while until Prompto felt relaxed enough to sleep.

They did hang out in person, as promised. Time, however, brought them further apart than they'd planned. Noctis was being urged more into learning about his future duties as king, and Prompto filled his time finding hobbies he enjoyed and making new friends. When they could, the two would get together and talk about the details of life since they'd last caught up. A lot of the time, they'd end up talking while petting the chocobos at the Citadel.

Although Noctis was happy that his friend was making his own way in the world, there was still that pang in his chest whenever he thought about the possibility of drifting apart completely. He hadn't spoken to Prompto in weeks at that point. Part of him was afraid that he'd only been friends with him because he'd asked at first, and now he was finding better things. That was entirely plausible, and Noctis couldn't be upset at him for that. Despite Ignis' advice to ask him outright how he saw Noctis, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

What made things worse was the upcoming ball. In a few weeks, to commemorate the one year since the last one, the Lucian government was to host another celebration; Noctis' one thanks was that this time, it wasn't going to be masked.

The event didn't necessarily bother Noctis—it was how Prompto would react to it. He didn't want to put him near those awful people that had ruined his life from the beginning, and he certainly didn't want to make him smile and pretend that it was all water under the bridge. That just wouldn't be fair.

Noctis' mind was swirling with thoughts on how to tell him as he stared at himself in the mirror, brushing his teeth. If he knew in advance, it would be way less of a shock, but how would he feel about it on impact?

Deciding to deal with it in the morning, Noctis rinsed his mouth and wandered towards his bed for the night.

He didn't quite make it halfway before a knock on his door stopped him in his tracks. He groaned, turning on his heel and going to greet whatever staff was going to tell him to get up and attend some impromptu meeting. If he was really unlucky, it would be Ignis.

After a quick pause to mentally prepare himself, Noctis partially opened the door. "Yeah, what do you—…Prompto?"

A nervous smile greeted him just outside. "Heya, Noct. Is this a bad time?" he asked.

Noctis was taken aback. It took a second to realize his mouth was hanging open, and he quickly shut it with an audible clack of his teeth. "Oh, uh, no. It's fine, you're fine. What are you doing here?" was his eventual, stutter-filled reply.

Prompto's gaze flitted to the side, a soft blush rising to his cheeks. "Nothing, really," he started. "I was just with a few friends from my photography group nearby, and we split apart at the Citadel, so I thought, hey, why not swing by? Haven't seen you in a while, but…that's dumb, isn't it? Gods, I'm sorry, I knew I should've called ahead. I can come back another time. Didn't mean to barge in unannounced like this."

He gave a short wave and turned as if to leave, but Noctis reached out and caught him by the sleeve. "Hey, slow down. I didn't even get to actually tell you hi," he told him. Sure, he was caught by surprise, but this interaction was too short for his liking.

He watched as Prompto bit his lip and looked off to the side again. True to his story, a camera hung around his neck, which he was fiddling with. "Sorry, Noct. Okay, I might've…snuck away from the group early to come and see you," he admitted, his cheeks burning with a little more color. Jittery fingers swirled around the shutter button of the camera.

He snuck away? Just to see him? Noctis didn't know whether it was the idea of Prompto sneaking off or the fact that he was so embarrassed about it now, but he started to laugh.

Prompto pouted. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Noctis insisted, doing his best to dial down the smile that threatened his face. "You're just a dork."

In the next moment, Noctis was tugging the flustered boy into his room. Having him here would be a nice distraction from thinking about the stress involved with the details of…well, everything. Despite the slight pounding of his heart, he was really happy to see him. Or maybe that was the cause of it.

Noctis let go of Prompto and kept his arm outstretched. Prompto didn't react, just tilted his head to the side. "I can put your camera on the table," Noctis explained.

Mouthing a small "oh," Prompto removed the strap from around his neck and relinquished the camera with a tiny smile. "Just don't break it," he requested in that teasing tone that Noctis secretly adored.

The table was relatively barren, so the camera had a nice spot to stay. "Wouldn't dream of it," was Noctis’ response as he set it down as carefully as he could manage.

When he turned back, he saw Prompto with his chin tilted up just a touch, slowly turning around as he took in small parts of the room at a time. Something about the curious look in his eyes, the way the pale light of the city highlighted just the right parts of his face in that soft glow, the idea that he had come up just to see him…gods, Noctis knew he was in this far more than he had the right to be.

He didn't know how much time had passed. All he knew now was that he had been caught staring, as Prompto's eyes were now looking right into his. Noctis had the good sense to glance away, but when he looked back, they were both still stuck there.

"So, I—"

"Hey, um—"

They paused, then shared a faint laugh.

It was Prompto that spoke up first. "You were getting ready for bed, weren't you?" After getting a shrug that was basically confirmation, he laughed more outright. "Dude, it's so early! Do you do anything other than sleep?"

Noctis crossed his arms. "Of course I do! Sleep is just my preferred pastime. And I'm tired from being the prince all day," he retorted.

That earned more laughter from Prompto, complete with a little snort. "Laugh all you want, I'm comfortable with my life choices," Noctis continued.

Prompto rolled his eyes, still with a smile playing on his lips. "So what were you trying to say a second ago?" he questioned, moving to sit on the edge of Noctis' bed.

"Oh, just…" This was probably a really stupid idea. "Wanted to know if you felt like staying over. Since it's getting late out and all that." _And because I missed you_. By some miracle, that little comment just barely stayed in the confines of his mind.

The moment of surprise that crossed Prompto's face was paired with a light blush under his mess of freckles. "Stay over?" Suddenly he looked uncomfortable in his place on the bed, glancing from left to right and rubbing the side of his thigh with one hand. "You sure? I don't want to intrude, Noct; you've already done so much for me, and I—"

"Dude, you _know_ I don't mind."

That got Prompto quiet again. He chewed on his lower lip, tapped his thigh, then sighed. A shy smile overtook him as he finally met eyes with Noctis. "Actually, yeah, that would be pretty nice. Thanks," he ended up saying.

Noctis let out a huff of a laugh. "It's no problem. I've got some clothes you can borrow to sleep in," he offered, already turning to fetch them.

As he rummaged around drawers for suitable clothes, the gears started to turn in Noctis' head. This could be a good opportunity to warn Prompto about the upcoming celebration. He was going to have to eventually, so why not now? _Because I feel guilty as hell about it, that's why,_ his conscience retorted. But no, this wasn't about him. Prompto deserved to know so he could prepare in advance. The question of how to bring it up was next up on things driving Noctis out of his mind. When it came to small talk, Noctis was…ill-equipped for the job, to put it nicely.

Well, his planning time was cut short. Noctis brought Prompto his promised change of clothes, then took his place on the bed while the other went to change into them. He bit the inside of his cheek and averted his eyes when Prompto hooked his fingers under his shirt right then and there, not wanting to be rude and stare again.

Not that it would've been the first time that had happened. It was impossible to forget the sheer confusion of that one time he discovered Prompto stripping down by his bed when he returned from a long outing. Apparently, he wanted to do his job by "helping him to de-stress," as he'd put it. After making him put his clothes back on, Noctis had to give Prompto a very awkward reminder that he wasn't anybody's property anymore, which meant he didn't have to do _…that._

Honestly, it had kind of broken Noctis' heart back then to know that Prompto had never had boundaries for himself before. At least now he was more his own person, and he knew it. That was something he could be proud of, completely on his own accord.

A shift in the bed told him that Prompto was finished. He looked over and was met with a sweet smile that made his heart skip a beat. The words he had in his mouth dried up, so thankfully the other sparked up a conversation first. "What have you been up to?"

Noctis went through his recent schedule in his mind, then shrugged. "Meetings, hiding from my dad on occasion. Usual boring prince stuff," he concluded. "What about you?"

Prompto drummed his fingers on his thigh once more. "Oh, just…figuring stuff out." Noctis was about to press further, but Prompto flopped back on the bed and continued. "I'm really liking my photography class. Met some cool people in there, too. And I got a new plant for my apartment to replace that last one, so you should come by and see it sometime when you're busy avoiding your dad," he teased.

Laying on his side, Noctis propped himself up on his elbow with his cheek in his palm. "I'll definitely have to do that," he agreed. "Sounds better than being bored in here by myself."

Was now a good time to bring it up? Prompto was in a good mood, so surely he shouldn't break that, right? Or maybe he should, since he didn't know when another opportunity would arise to talk about it in private. But it felt so _awkward_ , and—

"You okay, buddy?"

Embarrassing as it was, Noctis jumped. "Um, yeah. I'm fine," he murmured in response, hoping his hand was covering most of the blush on his cheek.

The look that Prompto gave him wasn't really one that conveyed belief. Still, he didn't push it. Instead, he let out a faint hum and relaxed more into the bed. "Alright. Can I tell you something, then?" he asked. Noctis nodded, and he continued.

"Okay, so I just…" He trailed off, his eyes wandering along with it. Then he propped himself up to be level with Noctis, and the playful mood from before was put away as they looked at each other. "I don't think I've ever fully looked you in the eye and said a real thank you," he finally stated. "You've done more for me than I could ever have dreamed of just a year ago, and for that I am so, so grateful. The things I've been able to learn about myself, the stuff I get to do now, it's…I'm…"

Tears began to spill over from Prompto's eyes. Slightly panicked, Noctis leaned forward and held a tentative hand by the emotional man's shoulder to see if he wanted comfort. An instant later, Prompto had his face buried in Noctis' chest. "I'm happy," followed his quiet whisper.

As the surprise of the moment melted away, Noctis curled his arm snugly around Prompto's back. "Well I'm happy that you're happy," he murmured, his chin gently rested on the other's head. "It was so hard seeing you that first day, and I didn't even know you yet. Even then, I couldn't bear to see you like that. You're a good person, Prom, and you deserve all the happiness in the world. And I'm sorry for not being patient with you at first. You've been through a lot."

Prompto shook his head against Noctis' chest. "You weren't trying to scare me. I already forgave you for that when you started trying harder for me," he mumbled through his quiet cries.

That ache was back in his heart, only this time it was seconded with relief. Right here, in the quiet of Noctis' room on his bed, they were safe from the world. And Noctis was happy about that.

Prompto continued to sob against him, and Noctis finally realized that there were streaks of wet running down his own face. He held his best friend closer, closer than he imagined he would be able to. Legs tangled together, tears fell, and soon enough they were clinging to each other in a huddled mess. For a few minutes they were quiet, save for the crying that dialed down to sniffles. Noctis slowly ran his fingers through the back of Prompto's hair. Prompto twiddled with the hem of Noctis' shirt.

Finally, Noctis broke the silence. "You're really amazing, you know that?" he whispered.

Another sniffle, and Prompto let out a quick breath in what Noctis thought was a kind of laugh. "You're too nice to me. Did you know _that_?" Prompto returned.

"Maybe. Or maybe you just deserve it, dork."

When Prompto looked up, Noctis felt his shirt go cold from the tear stains left there. Not that he minded. Prompto shoved his arm in the space between them to wipe at his face with the back of his hand, and when he pulled it away, Noctis could see that his eyes were puffy and red from crying. Even still, he brought back that faint smile at the corner of his lips, and Noctis could've melted right there.

He realized he was smiling back when Prompto's face brightened even more. "You have a really cute smile. You should show it more," Prompto noted. "And you're kinda blushing. Real cute," he went on, lightly poking Noctis' cheek.

Noctis gave a roll of his eyes. "I am _not_ blushing, you're seeing things," he defended.

"What? No, you totally are," Prompto countered.

With a snort, Noctis gave him a light squeeze with his arm. "Whatever. Y'know, I think this is the longest we've ever hugged. You're pretty warm."

Prompto hummed. "And you're kinda cold. Like, your hand is freezing on my back. Can't say it's a bad thing, though. Actually feels sorta nice since I'm apparently _so_ hot."

"Yeah, I take it back."

They shared another laugh, and Noctis felt the weight of the moment ebb away. Slowly, he twirled a few strands of Prompto's hair around a finger. He figured he should just bite the bullet and speak his mind now, so he breathed a quiet sigh and spoke.

"So…there's this thing I've been meaning to talk to you about," he began, forcing himself to not avert his eyes too much.

Prompto tilted his head ever-so-slightly. "What thing?" he questioned.

There was an unmistakable hint of fear in his voice. Noctis knew he was trying to hide it, but it was there, and he internally cursed himself for starting off that way. "You didn't do anything wrong, so don't worry about that. It's probably not even that bad, but I'm just worried about you, and…Six, now I'm rambling." He let his head fall back to the bed, sure he was blushing now if he wasn't before. Why not just change subjects and admit his romantic feelings? That would be less awkward than this.

Much to his relief, however, he felt the slight tension disappear where his arm was draped over Prompto's shoulder. "Sorry about that," he murmured. "Anyway, I—"

"Is it about the anniversary ball?"

Noctis suddenly picked himself up again. "Wait, how did you know about that?"

Prompto shrugged. "Iggy told me," he said.

Oh.

That made Noctis narrow his eyes and pout. "So I spent the last few days worried as hell for nothing?" he whined.

With a little chuckle, Prompto shrugged again. "I mean, I guess so. You were worried about me? For what?"

A sigh fell from Noctis' lips. "I wanted to let you know in advance so you could avoid it. Y'know, since…those people are gonna be there again," he said, his voice quieter. "You don't have to go, Prom. You know I wouldn't do that to you."

There was another pause, this time more on Prompto's part. His grip on Noctis' shirt tightened, his teeth toying with his bottom lip briefly. "That's a pretty good reason," he murmured.

Noctis hated what they had done to him, hated that bringing it up could cloud Prompto's sunshine so easily. "You don't have to go," he reiterated.

But Prompto didn't respond right away. Slowly, his touch travelled further up along Noctis' side to his shoulder. Noctis heard him take a shaky breath. "Actually, that's partially why I came to visit you. I wanted to talk about me going," he admitted.

"Well there's nobody making you go," Noctis told him.

"No, hush, that's not it," Prompto continued. "I, um. I want to go. But I want to go with _you_." Noctis hadn't even realized that Prompto's hand was now caressing his cheek, gentle as anything along his jaw. "Is that okay?"

Had they been this close before? Probably so, but somehow it felt unbearably closer now. He nodded, just a slight downward tilt of his head. "If that's what you want," he replied in a near-whisper.

Prompto's fingers curled slightly against his cheek. "Is that what _you_ want?" he asked in a cautious but hopeful tone.

Noctis' breath hitched in his throat. This gorgeous guy waltzed right into his life, stole his heart in a matter of months, and now they were cuddling on his bed, and Noctis was thinking that maybe he was being asked out on a date.

"Absolutely," he heard himself say.

That bright smile he adored so much found its way to Prompto's face once more, lighting up every feature. "Hey, Noct? You know something I've learned about myself in the last year? Sometimes I get a kick of stupid bravery," he announced.

Before Noctis could question what that meant, he was being kissed. Frozen in shock, he didn't move a muscle until Prompto had pulled away several seconds later. His face was scarlet red, and he had a nervous smile. Noctis gazed right into his eyes as he felt his heart pound. "Gods, you're way braver than me, then," he finally said. Then he brought Prompto right back in to feel his lips on his again.

Noctis had always found it ridiculous when people said all those sappy things about the one they loved. Now, he truly felt like Prompto was the only person in the world. Everything else melted away, and a tiny smile brought a small rift into the kiss. Prompto was so sweet and cute and such a warmth in his life that he never knew he needed. How the hell had he not done this sooner?

It only took a matter of ten seconds before the two dissolved into quiet, bubbly laughter against the other's mouth. Eventually they had to break apart, since they were hardly actually kissing anymore.

"So was that you asking me out?" Noctis questioned, a teasing lilt to his words.

Prompto snorted. "Yes, doofus! What do you think I came here for? You're a difficult guy sometimes, I hope you know that."

"Oh, _I'm_ difficult? Prom, it took you how long to stop calling me 'highness'? I've spent the last year trying to help you be you, so I'm sorry if I sometimes get a little cautious about messing stuff up again," Noctis retorted.

Suddenly, Prompto's hand was brushing through his hair. "And you're a real sweet guy for caring about me that much. You're cute," he teased.

That earned him a light poke to his cheek. "Now look who's blushing? _You're_ cute. You just had to go and make me fall for you, ruin my cool persona."

Prompto raised an eyebrow. "I didn't make you do anything. You just discovered that I'm irresistible, admit it."

"Maybe. Guess you'll never know."

"Dork. I'm gonna kiss you again."

"I'm not gonna stop you."

While this still felt hardly real, Noctis was more than glad to accept the events that just happened. Even if it was only a dream, having Prompto as his boyfriend and actually kissing him was a pretty damn good dream.

When they separated again, Noctis had all the love in the world in his gaze. "So you're sure you want to go to the ball? I'd get it if you didn't."

Prompto nodded definitively. "I do. I liked dancing with you, even if we kinda sucked at it. Plus, I want to show those guys how cool I am now. And how cool _we_ are," he added.

Noctis took a deep breath and let himself relax fully into the bed. "If you say so. We'll make it fun," he decided. "But I'm pretty beat right now, especially since you totally interrupted my plan to go to sleep earlier. I think I might catch up on that now," he joked.

"Alright, alright," Prompto relented. "I just might join you there, sleeping beauty. Thanks for letting me stay here, by the way. Now let's move to be more comfy." And with that, he leaned in for another quick kiss.

They did move around, spending a little while trying to figure out sleeping arrangements. Not that it mattered much, since Noctis was prone to moving around in his sleep a lot. Either way, they ended up snuggled together after shutting off the lights and fixing the blankets around them, and Noctis was more than happy to fall asleep like that. Before long, he was already feeling his eyelids droop. Then he remembered something.

"Hey, did you call me a bad dancer earlier?"

"Night, Noct!"

* * *

Time flew by after that. It seemed like mere days had passed before the morning of the ball was upon them, and Noctis was being woken up by a knock and a shout on the other side of his door that loudly stated that he needed to get up. But he was groggy and tired—come on, it was early morning—which meant his immediate response was to groan in annoyance and bury his face in the nearest thing. That ended up being Prompto's shoulder.

"Trapping me here isn't gonna help you stay in bed all day, you know."

"It will if you let it happen," came Noctis' muffled reply.

Prompto shifted to turn over, which, annoyingly, disrupted his warm hiding spot. When Noctis looked up, he was greeted with an equally-sleepy but more calm look from his boyfriend. Damn him for being so cute even this early.

A moment later, Noctis was alone in the bed.

With a heavy sigh, he rolled over to the warm spot that Prompto had vacated and watched him stretch. "You're really not gonna fuel my bad habits today and stay in bed instead of facing responsibilities?" he complained.

"Nope," Prompto replied. "At least, not today. Maybe tomorrow when we're both socially exhausted." He turned to face the sprawled-out form he called his boyfriend, and Noctis closed his eyes as he received a warm kiss to his cheek. Alright, maybe this wasn't the worst thing.

Unfortunately, he did have to get up. The irritation he would have to deal with at being woken up many times again by increasingly-annoyed staff didn't seem worth it, so he rolled over more until he could easily slump to his feet.

Noctis was hardly done washing the sleep from his eyes when the two of them were whisked off in different directions to get fixed up for the ball. Just thinking those words sounded entirely too much like he was stuck in some ancient time, falling into a fairytale story. Which was ridiculous. There weren't going to be any magic spells or enchanting nights. All he wanted from today was to spend some time with Prompto, and hopefully keep his spirits up despite the lingering memories that were bound to haunt him.

That being said, he did want to try and make the whole ordeal fun in some ways. They were going to get to dance together, and they could make a game out of making fun of the obnoxious people that were bound to attend again. Maybe they could even sneak off for a while, get away from the bustle of the crowd.

As he adjusted the collar of his shirt one last time, Noctis wondered where he might find Prompto. Because of the rushed morning they'd had, plans to meet up hadn't been brought up. And, of course, Noctis forgot his phone in his room.

He sighed. _Might as well start there_ , he thought.

Unfortunately, stepping into the quiet room, it was quickly made apparent that Prompto wasn't around. What Noctis did find, however, was a black suit jacket draped over the end of the bed. Mostly sure it was Prompto's, he took it up in his arms, grabbed his phone, and continued his search. He thought about calling, but he already had an idea of where he might be.

The gentle chirping of a doting chocobo told Noctis that he was right even before he caught sight of that blond hair. Usually when Noctis found him down here, his laughter filled the room. Now, it was quieter, more reserved.

"Having a chocobo therapy session?"

It wasn't loud, but Prompto still jolted at Noctis' voice. His cheeks visibly reddened, and he leaned over from his place on the ground to half hide behind a mass of yellow feathers. "That predictable?" came his response after a few moments.

Noctis shrugged. "Maybe. Or I just know you that well by now."

There was no tension in the air as Noctis walked over to sit beside him. It wasn't the most comfortable seating arrangement, but they did have a huge bird that immediately tried to snuggle up to them.

The silence only lasted a short while, broken by Noctis heaving a sigh. "Is it about today?" A small nod from Prompto. "Do you want to talk about it?" There was a slight hesitation in Prompto's breath, and his body stiffened. Then, before either of them spoke, he slumped right into Noctis' side.

"I'm a little scared," Prompto admitted.

Gently, Noctis brought his arm around Prompto and held him close. "I don't blame you. I would be, too. You know, it's still early. You don't have to go if you're really not feeling up to it," he offered again.

Prompto shook his head against the other's shoulder. "No, I want to go," he stated, suddenly resolute in his tone. "I just…" He wavered once more. "Would you mind not leaving me alone while we're there? I'd feel more comfortable at your side."

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Noctis' lips. "Of course. You're my date to the ball and all that stuff. What kind of prince leaves his date all alone?"

The telltale movement of laughter Noctis felt from Prompto's side put him more at ease. "A pretty crappy one," Prompto mused. With a sigh, he shifted amongst the straw until he was practically latched onto Noctis, face tucked against his neck and both arms around his torso. "Thanks for not being a crappy prince," he said softly.

Noctis rested his cheek on his mess of blond hair. "And thanks for giving me a chance," he returned. He felt warm lips press to his neck, which stirred the butterflies in his chest. It certainly wasn't the first time Prompto had done that, and yet it still made Noctis' heart do somersaults. He wondered how long it would be before that faded. He hoped it never would.

They had somewhere to be, but all that be damned. Noctis directed his focus to cheering up his boyfriend, and that was a task he was going to accomplish. So he turned to a sure way to get him feeling better; he tilted Prompto's chin up to meet him in a proper kiss.

Their lips easily found their place against each other's, Noctis already feeling that slight shift that told him Prompto was smiling. He pulled back a fraction of an inch. "Today's gonna be fine," he murmured. Another kiss. "You're gonna stick it to those guys by being your amazing self." And another. "And you're gonna look hot as hell the entire time." That last one earned him a breathy chuckle. "I'm serious, you're killing me right now," he insisted.

"Hey, no dying, you promised you'd stick with me today," Prompto whined. That smile was still firmly in place.

He had no choice but to agree. So, with a sigh nothing short of dramatic, Noctis dropped his head to rest on Prompto's shoulder with an "If you say so." Prompto responded by lightly jabbing him in the side.

"Okay, okay," he continued after another short round of laughter, "we should probably go soon. Pretty sure the whole thing already started, so unfortunately, we have to stop cuddling in the chocobo stables."

He'd almost forgotten that there was a chocobo right beside them. She had settled down a while ago and was now watching them curiously from a close distance, but she wasn't trying to shove her way into the circle of affection like she sometimes did.

Prompto reached out to pet her beak, nodding slowly. "Guess we should. But we continue cuddling on your bed when it's over." His words were more fact than a suggestion, which got a nod of affirmation from Noctis.

Shortly after, the prince and his date entered the scene. Their linked arms were like a mutual lifeline, a reminder that they were going to be okay no matter how the night progressed.

Noctis had made it very clear that they could leave at any point if Prompto became uncomfortable or overwhelmed, and even though Prompto assured him that he would be fine, he was still holding onto that statement. Prompto was way more important than attending this circus.

As expected, but still unnervingly, they did receive a few stares when they walked through the large entrance doors. It was a shock to see the crown prince of Lucis with a man on his arm, and a Niff, no less. But Noctis hardly spared those rude few a glance. Instead, he kept his eyes forward and walked into the crowd with Prompto close to his side.

What was probably equally jarring to some was the mix of royal colors Prompto had adorned. He and Noctis matched for the most part, aside from the central colors of their vests. Noctis' was a charcoal gray, roughly similar to last year's in design with a few minor distinctions. Underneath Prompto's rich black jacket was a beautiful burgundy. A darker etching of pattern sprawled across its front, which stood out well against the contrasting white shirt below it. Black for Lucis, and red and white for Niflheim. He looked astoundingly gorgeous in it.

With heads turning to watch their procession, Noctis and Prompto continued down into the mix of people until they were simply a part of it. The shock of the moment died down soon enough, and then Noctis heard Prompto let out a soft breath.

"Okay so far?" he questioned, doing what he could to keep his voice down, but loud enough to not be drowned out by the room.

Prompto paused, eyes turned down, before nodding with a small smile. "I'll be okay." When their gazes met again, Noctis believed him.

There were a few more moments between them, a quiet exchange of courage before they continued, arm in arm, into the throng of people moving about. They had agreed before this that the best way to get through the night was to at least try to have a bit of fun. Nothing cured anxiety quite like a bit of messing around.

Noctis gently elbowed his boyfriend in the side. "Do me a favor? Go and stand by that staircase for me," he requested. That earned him a quizzical look from Prompto.

"Uh, why?" he questioned, unhooking their arms.

Noctis used his now free arm to poke Prompto in the shoulder. "Just trust me, it's nothing bad."

Prompto gave a light snort. "You ask a lot from a guy." But he put up no further protest, simply walked over to where he was instructed. "Here good?" he called.

Ignoring the raised-eyebrow looks that got them, Noctis gave a thumbs up and cleared his throat.

At first, he cast his gaze around the room, steeling his face into a bored expression. After a short pause, he began meandering closer to the staircase. He was trying to keep cool, but when he locked eyes with Prompto, a tiny smile betrayed him.

Noctis was being a bit of an idiot. That idea was only amped up when he reached the stairs and leaned on the banister, a casual playfulness in his eyes as he winked at the now-flustered guy in front of him.

"Hey," he started, "I was just standing around by myself for a while, but my dad—he's the king, by the way—is making me go out and dance." A sigh passed his lips, and he slumped a little more heavily onto his arm. "So I have to find someone cute to sweep off his feet for the night. Mind if I use you?"

By the end of that short speech, Prompto was practically in tears from his concealed laughter. His hand was clamped over his mouth, slight snorts and giggles escaping through his makeshift barricade. That was how Noctis knew he had him.

After wiping a stray tear, Prompto beamed. "My, what a charmer. Impressive that you mentioned your dad in that. I guess I could spare a dance or two."

Noctis straightened out a bit and held out his hand. When Prompto took it, he immediately pulled him close, which got them both chuckling again. "Thanks. Would've been really awkward if you'd said no," he said.

"Don't mention it," Prompto responded. Before Noctis could say anything else, he was being led back into the crowd.

The music filled up the whole room with its grand tune. Just as before, it swept the dancers up into twirls and laughter, each beat seeming to contort the group in unison. Chatter from surrounding pairs accompanied the sounds, but the strings soared above and echoed from the chambers of the hall. All in all, it was a very lively scene.

What Noctis was focused on, however, was Prompto. Minding the other dancers, the two of them were quickly added to the formation. Prompto had that goofy smile on his face, which Noctis couldn't help but reciprocate just a tiny bit.

Their dancing still wasn't perfect, but hey, they'd practiced a decent amount in preparation. "Am I still a bad dancer?" Noctis teased after a minute.

Prompto rolled his eyes. "C'mon, I didn't say that in the first place."

"Nah, but you did imply it."

"Your words."

Noctis squeezed Prompto's hand. "Uh-huh. You're terrible to me."

In the next moment, he was being kissed, and he nearly lost his footing. "I know," Prompto replied. "But seriously, you dance fine. Despite you almost falling just now, I mean," he added after a beat.

"Then maybe don't kiss me while we're moving around? Then I'd be a great dancer," Noctis retorted.

The pair shared a laugh as the music began to soften, slowing down into a relaxed waltz. Noctis' hand glided from Prompto's side to his back. He held him a little too close. They could go back to dancing soon; right now, he wanted to kiss him in front of anyone who dared to look. Prompto's eyes closed, and so did his, and they slowly leaned in amidst the sway of the rhythm.

"Ah, Prince Noctis! I was hoping to run into you today."

Nothing about the voice sounded friendly or inviting. Noctis' posture stiffened as he recognized it, though it was nothing compared to the way Prompto's entire body seized up. Just their luck.

After giving a gentle squeeze to Prompto's waist, Noctis turned to regard Verstael with an ice-cold glare. "Funny, I was hoping for the opposite," he returned.

Verstael let out a sharp, hoarse laugh. "Very clever, highness," he mused. "And I see you've kept your gift. I trust he's been satisfactory to your needs? We did train him specially for you, you know."

One year. One year since the last time Noctis had seen this scum, and the anger that flared up in his chest mimicked that of the first time they'd encountered. Maybe even more so. All of the pain he had seen Prompto in, the sheer work it took him to shed the shackles he'd been given, and even the bubbly, sweet way he was now…to think that Prompto had to go through so much his entire life just to be able to smile freely? Hatred was an understatement.

Noctis was armed and ready to spit that feeling right at Verstael when a hand caught his elbow. The fingers were trembling, and he could hear the shaky breathing of Prompto behind him. "Don't," he whispered. "I don't want you to."

"Really, now. What did you do to break his good manners? Do you need us to take him home for some re-educating?" sneered Verstael.

Prompto stepped forward. " _He_ did nothing. Nothing but treat me with kindness and respect," he stated. Noctis was taken aback. All he could do was watch from behind as Prompto confronted the man that had built and destroyed his life.

"I know what you were trying to do. You wanted to torture me, so you gave me to the Lucians," Prompto continued. "You knew that Noct would be uncomfortable with it. You…you thought he was going to give me back. I heard you say it when I was being brought here. You _wanted_ me to be a failure so I could go back there and be treated like one." His voice wavered, and Noctis' breath hitched in his throat.

The arrogant smirk Verstael had been sporting slowly devolved into a scowl. He was angry. Noctis didn't want to think about what he would've done had they been alone.

"Be careful when you speak, boy," Verstael spat. " _I_ was the one that saved your life. Without me, you would have been nothing but a corpse on the street. You should be grateful for the opportunities you were given!"

Around them, the strings continued their song as if everything were fine. As if Prompto wasn't shaking where he stood. Noctis couldn't stand back anymore. He took those few steps forward and grasped Prompto's hand firmly in his own. The fear the other felt was palpable.

"I think you've done more than enough for him," Noctis butted in. "Whatever the hell you had planned, it's not happening. Give up." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shift in Prompto's expression. All of a sudden, his trembling stopped.

"Prom?"

Prompto let out a faint breath, and then another. He was _laughing_ . "He's pissed," he ended up muttering. Noctis tilted his head in confusion. "He's _mad_ at me, but…" Cool eyes met ones of rage. "But he can't do anything to me, anymore. I'm not yours, anymore. You can't touch me," he stated in a simple tone, like he was merely stating a fact.

A vein on Verstael's forehead bulged as he bared his teeth, looking from side to side for some kind of assistance. One or two other officials caught his gaze, but they quickly turned away. It seemed nobody wanted to be involved in this losing battle.

"Don't think you can get away from my wrath so easily. I gave you your life," he hissed, "and I can _take it back again_." He held out his hand, and Noctis felt Prompto stiffen beside him. And…nothing. Laughter echoed from nearby. A twirling lady nearly stumbled into Verstael, who was still standing with his arm outstretched towards Prompto like some deranged, heaving statue. "Wh…where is it? How did you hide it?" he demanded, finally dropping the pose.

Something clicked in Noctis' mind. "Oh, the chain? Were you trying to take it back from me? Sorry, don't have it on hand at the moment."

"That's impossible! It ties the soul of you to him; you cannot just _put it away_. I created it, so I should be able to take it back at will," Verstael said, dumbfounded.

"That was your backup plan? Seriously?" Noctis returned with a sigh and a shake of his head. "You wanna tell him?" He looked to his boyfriend, who was still staring directly at the older man.

He nodded, gave Noctis' hand a squeeze. "Mh-hm. Noct and Iggy found out how to get rid of it, like, the day after I got here. Aren't they cool?" He chuckled again as Verstael's eyes went wide. "Yeah, you know what that means, don't you? It means I'm not yours. I'm not his, either. Finally, for the first time since I can remember, I belong to nobody but me."

Verstael stuttered, stuck between anger and bewilderment. "Not how you expected this to go? Sorry. Noct is a way nicer guy than you gave him credit for," he said with a shrug. "But I do have to thank you for handing me over like that. Otherwise I wouldn't have found the love of my life." Prompto finally faced Noctis, and the two shared an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, I see. So that's how it is, highness." Verstael dropped the tone and reverted back to his original speech, condescending and accusing. "You've taken him romantically. To think you were the kind of prince to manipulate and deceive. Very clever. For a moment I had really though you were going to give him some kind of freedom. What a relief." His eyes bore into Prompto's skull once again. "If you think you can ever truly escape the bonds you've been given, you're wrong, dear boy. You'll always do what pleases the one you serve."

Noctis opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off. "Will you _shut up_?"

In the first time Noctis had witnessed, Prompto looked truly angry. He shut his mouth to let the other speak.

Prompto took a deep breath. "I can take you slandering my name over and over again. Six knows I've dealt with it forever. You turned me into a mindless sack of insecurities, making me believe that you treated me the way you did because I deserved it. Because of you, I thought that everyone else would do the same. But when Noctis met me, he refused to do that. And I mean _refused._ He never gave up on me, and he's the reason I decided to become my own person. Because of him, I'm actually alive. So I will not stand here and have you insult him like that. We're together because we want to be; not because he made me, and definitely not because I felt obligated."

There was an air of awe around Noctis, one that only grew when the man he loved turned towards him. "He did something nobody else had. He loved me, and gave me a choice to love him back. I'm really happy with him." His eyes narrowed as he directed his gaze towards Verstael. "So you can kindly fuck off. We have a dance to finish."

Verstael wasn't the only one rendered speechless. Noctis stood there, his mouth slightly agape, until he was being tugged in the opposite direction. When he glanced back, that wretched man was gone from sight.

Noctis trailed behind Prompto, unable to see his face. He let it happen, going wherever he was taking him, which only ended up being the far end of the room. Finally stopping, Noctis felt the grip on his hand go lax. Prompto was facing the corner.

"That was…a lot," Noctis commented. "You okay? I'm so sorry he showed up like that. But we really told him off, huh?" There was no response. "Prom?"

He heard sniffling, and when Prompto looked over his shoulder, he looked like he was struggling to breathe. "Noct," he called weakly.

It took nothing else. Noctis stood frozen for only a moment before wrapping his arms securely around Prompto's shoulders. "Alright, just a minute," he whispered, turning to lead him along the wall. "I'll get you out of here."

They made their way to one of the side doors that led into a short hallway, Prompto's face half-buried in Noctis' shoulder while his body continued to shake like a scared rabbit. Avoiding the concerned looks they received, Noctis led Prompto through it and closed the door behind them.

With the hefty thud of the door closing came the dense silence. Now that things were quiet, Noctis could hear Prompto's concealed sniffling and staggered breathing more clearly. "Almost there, babe."

Gods, of course this had to happen. Even though Prompto had refused to back out of the event, Noctis had let himself believe that they would make it through without him getting hurt. He thought they could have avoided his past, when this was the very situation that would have amplified and thrown it back in his face. Now Noctis carried a heavy heart where his boyfriend used him for support.

A small parlor made up one of the nearby rooms, Noctis recalled, so he guided Prompto there. The lights were dimmer in here, and the curtains were drawn, but it was enough to see. Noctis helped Prompto remove his jacket, unbuttoned his own, then sat him down on the velvet couch in the center of the room. All the while, Prompto had his gaze cast to the ground, and the sniffling was now accompanied by a welling of tears in his eyes.

"Prom?" Noctis asked quietly, cupping both of his hands between his own. He watched Prompto begin to curl into himself, and he knelt down in front of him. "Hey, it's gonna be alright. You're safe, now."

Still, Prompto avoided his gaze. He looked uncomfortable in his own skin, a bit fidgety and awkward. Noctis hadn't seen him like this since…

"Sorry."

The words were barely a whisper, but even that seemed hard for Prompto to speak out. Noctis really wanted to march back in there and punch that man's lights out.

But he needed to be here right now, so he gently brushed his thumb along the side of Prompto's hand. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for," he stated, trying to keep the irritation towards Verstael out of his voice. "I get it. That was a lot to handle."

The shaking in his shoulders returned, and Prompto squeezed his eyes shut. "But I…we were supposed to keep dancing. I was supposed to be okay," he murmured, the brokenness in his voice enough to shatter Noctis' heart. "Noct, I'm…" he continued, trailing off into silence followed by more sniffling. He took his hands from Noctis' grip and threw his arms around the other's neck, burying his face against his shoulder as he began to sob. "Why am I not _okay_?"

Noctis nearly fell back as he caught him. In the shock of the moment, he held on tight to Prompto's waist, keeping them both upright as Prompto rambled on.

"It's not fair! I'm not there anymore. I've got you now, I've got my own life. I shouldn't be shaking and crying and ruining today because of the past. I hate feeling like this!" Prompto cried. Hot tears wet Noctis' neck. He had no idea what to say at first.

Gently, he took Prompto into his arms and brought him back onto the couch, sitting beside him this time. Though the correct thing would be to say that Noctis was sitting, and Prompto was sprawled half-sideways on his lap as he continued to let out his emotions, holding onto him for dear life.

It took him a few moments, but Noctis finally spoke. "It's not your fault," he soothed, rubbing Prompto's back with his other hand brushing through his hair. "He's been hurting you your whole life, so it makes sense. You don't need to feel guilty about not being over it. That'll take a while. And don't worry about the dance, okay? We can catch up on that some other time," he assured.

Prompto inhaled shakily, another choked sob cutting through it. "B-But you've done _so much_ for me. I wanted to be over it. I feel…I feel so selfish right now."

"Didn't we establish that you weren't doing this for me?" Noctis reasoned. "I already told you, you've got nothing to prove to me, and you _definitely_ don't have to be some flawless person now that fears nothing. It's okay to feel things—even the bad things."

There was another prolonged silence. The crying died back down to sniffles, and Prompto let out a ragged sigh. "Okay. You're not disappointed in me. You're not upset," he whispered.

Noctis pressed a gentle kiss to the other's temple. "I'm not disappointed in you," he repeated. "If anything, I admire you right now. Shit, babe, you stood up to him. That was pretty cool. And you were right; he can't touch you, anymore. You're safe, I promise."

Prompto didn't respond, but Noctis thought he felt movement in what was likely a small nod.

With a quiet sigh, Noctis closed his eyes and rested his head atop Prompto's. "Let's stay in here for a while, yeah? Relax for a bit before we decide on going back or not. You know I won't turn down a nap if you suggest that, instead," he told him. That earned a faint chuckle from Prompto, the kind that ended up heavy from lingering tears.

"Okay. Thank you," Prompto whispered. "You're the sweetest."

He shifted a bit, kicked his shoes off to put his legs up on the couch, and curled into Noctis more. Noctis took off his shoes as well, which took a moment of effort, since they were tied a bit tightly, and ultimately ended up cuddling his boyfriend against his chest. For a while, the pair stayed like that, holding onto each other and listening to each other's rhythmic breathing.

In the silence that followed, Noctis couldn't help but reflect on this past year, which had certainly been the most eventful and trying of his life. One year ago, he'd met this reserved guy standing obediently by a staircase, and taken a chance. After that, things went from odd to crazy, and before he knew it, there was a new person stuck in his life. Not that he minded; it was easy enough to grow to like Prompto, even if it took a good long while for him to break out of his shell enough for Noctis to get to know the real him. Enough to fall in love with him.

But the real thing that had Noctis stuck in his thoughts of awe, the thing that still struck him in the chest, was just how far Prompto had come since then.

From early on in his life, Prompto had been told to be obedient. But more than that, he was to read the atmosphere and smile, because that was what people wanted to see out of him. He was molded into a silent puppet whose strings were meant to be pulled.

When those strings were cut, it was like Prompto had rejected that reality. Even if it was stressful to watch, Noctis knew that he was only continuing on his lifelong duty because that was all he knew how to do. On top of that, he had been terrified of being sent back to that hell at the hands of Verstael. Almost everything about him was static and forced. Every smile directed at Noctis was one of obligation, even fear on occasion. The only times Noctis could see a genuine one was when he witnessed the other in his secret time alone, when he let his guard down; but that was never around people. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't express dissatisfaction towards anything. He truly was the perfect servant for a prince in those early days.

That was why it meant so much to Noctis when Prompto began to let his emotions out around him. It was subtle at first, things like a little laugh or the slight twinges of a frown. Over time, the carefully constructed façade that had been cultivated for him really began to crumble—finally, the mask cracked.

 _We're together because we want to be; not because he made me, and definitely not because I felt obligated._ Prompto had said that to Verstael in the heat of their argument. While it had been heartfelt and serious, those were just words. No, the reason Noctis knew he meant it was not because he'd spoken it, but because Prompto had turned to him right after for comfort. He knew that he was being sincere, because he had seen the side of Prompto that operated out of obligation. If all of this was just a huge performance for Noctis, he would have brushed it off in front of him and cried alone tonight.

It was probably a weird thing to think, but Noctis was glad that Prompto now trusted him enough to cry like this. Even if he'd started to revert back into his fearful state, he wasn't trying to hide it this time. They could get past this.

Slowly, Noctis tipped his head to pepper a few more kisses along Prompto's cheek. Prompto whined a bit, shying away from the affection by pressing his face more into Noctis' shoulder.

"Hey," Noctis murmured. "I love you."

Prompto lifted his head somewhat, resting his forehead on Noctis' chin instead. "Cheesy dork," he said softly.

A moment later, he was sat up straight in Noctis' lap, furiously wiping at his eyes. "Shit, I got tears all over your nice clothes! I-I'm sorry, Noct, I wasn't trying to—"

"Whoa, whoa, it's okay," Noctis assured. He rubbed a slow hand along Prompto's side. "I was gonna have to get it cleaned, anyway, so don't worry about it. They're just clothes."

There was a bit of hesitation in the way Prompto averted his eyes once more, but he gave a small nod, nonetheless. "Guess you're right," he mumbled. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Still feel a little…yeah."

Noctis nodded. "I know. It's fine, I don't blame you." Honestly, he'd give him the whole week to lay around in the quiet if that's what he wanted after facing that. "How are you feeling now?" he asked after a moment.

"Kind of exhausted," Prompto admitted in a small voice. His eyes met Noctis', and he had to note that they looked fairly dull.

The likelihood of them going back to the ball was slim by this point, so Noctis almost didn't ask, but still. "So…are we done for today?"

Prompto bit his lip; it was obvious he was dealing with residual guilt. Noctis curled his other arm around Prompto's waist, and Prompto caved. "If you're sure it's okay," he ended up saying.

"Fine by me," Noctis assured. "Whatever works best for you. I meant everything I said earlier, and I'm not gonna force you back in there." Surely it didn't matter if they slipped away for the rest of the evening. At least they'd made an appearance.

Another nod from Prompto, and things went quiet again. His hand brushed along Noctis' cheek as he let out another sigh. "Thanks. Again. And I love you, too, by the way."

Noctis leaned into the touch, a soft smile gracing his lips. "No problem. Would a kiss make you feel any better?" he teased.

Prompto pursed his lips, humming in thought. "Not a bad idea. I'll give it a go," he said, closing the gap between them a moment after.

It was one of their shorter kisses, but Noctis didn't mind. All that mattered was that Prompto's heartbeat was calm, there was virtually no outside noise, and they could rest easy knowing that the recovery period from this mess could last as long as was needed.

"I do feel a little better," Prompto muttered softly. He leaned in for another loving peck, and when he sat back, he had the hint of a smile back in his eyes. "Yeah, still tired, but definitely a little better."

Noctis let out a noncommittal hum, trailing a finger absently along Prompto's lower back. "Glad I could help. Do you want a bit of distracting? We can watch a shitty movie on my phone and just sit in here for a while," he offered.

With a quiet sigh, Prompto melted a little more against Noctis. "That sounds nice, I'd be down. Can we do one other thing first?" he asked. "Before I get completely tired, and all." He pressed a kiss to Noctis' cheek, then sat up straight once more.

"Mh-hm," Noctis agreed. "What's the thing?"

Suddenly, Prompto was slowly scrambling out of Noctis' lap. He stood up with a deep breath and turned to smile at Noctis over his shoulder. "I wasn't wanting to dance again _just_ for your sake," he stated.

That brought out a faint laugh from Noctis. "You asking me to dance, brave guy?" Straightening out his legs took a moment, but he stood up as well.

"I am," Prompto confirmed. He held out a hand, and Noctis was happy to take it in his own.

He went to reach his arm around Prompto's waist but was thrown off guard when Prompto instead grabbed one of his discarded shoes, and then he was being tugged towards the door. "Wait, not in here?" he questioned.

The grip on his hand noticeably tightened as they stepped into the hallway. "Nah. Can't hear the music from here."

"Could've put something on my phone."

"Oh, hush."

The pair stopped in front of the door they had escaped through earlier, both staring at it, all forgotten jackets and sock-clad feet. Beyond the doors, there was music and laughter, a mix of people from two countries, and both good and bad memories to plague them. Noctis had no idea if they were going to go in as they were, or what the hell Prompto was doing with a single shoe, but all of a sudden he was opening the door. He shoved the shoe into the space, then turned back to Noctis. "These walls are crazy soundproof," he announced.

Now Noctis understood; he wanted to be able to hear the music.

Noctis snorted a little laugh as his eyes met Prompto's. "Yeah, you're a dork."

And just like that, they resumed their earlier task of slow dancing away the world, only this time there really was no worry about the gaze of anyone but each other. The music was muffled enough so that the sliding of their socks was audible on the cold, hard floor, as well as each faint laugh from either of them when they realized how ridiculous this was. Ridiculous, but nice.

It didn't take much for Noctis to adopt that soft, loving look in his eyes as they danced through the narrow space of the hallway. He could feel the warmth of Prompto's hands on him, smell the faint scent of flowers that he'd grown to enjoy using. Prompto was looking back with the same expression, and Noctis knew he was the luckiest person in the world.

"Prom?"

"Hm?"

"I forgot to thank you for earlier." He gave his hand a light squeeze. "You didn't need to stand up for me like that, but you did. So, thank you."

Prompto's smile grew, a sight Noctis was glad to see. "I know I didn’t. I just couldn't let him get away with saying that stuff about you. I don't want him getting his way with talking to people how he wants, especially not you," he said.

Noctis hummed his acknowledgement. "Well you definitely told him off. Was kinda hot, actually," he teased.

A mix of embarrassment and pride colored Prompto's cheeks, and he laughed, letting go to lightly punch Noctis' shoulder. "Okay, when I was being told about your personality so I could learn you, they really failed to mention how much of a stupid flirt you are."

"Oh, I'm almost never like this," Noctis corrected, "I just like to mess with you."

That got him another shoulder-punch. "Ow! That's starting to hurt, c'mon!"

"Whoops, sorry."

Noctis rolled his eyes, a smile finding its place back on his lips. "How long do you want to dance?" he asked.

Prompto puffed out his cheeks and glanced to the door. "Just a few minutes, I guess. Then I'm taking you up on that offer to watch a movie and nap," he replied, moving back into their dancing position. "But I want to finish this song before we do that," he continued as they began to sway to the rhythm of the strings. "Have to get in my dancing time with the notoriously reclusive prince." That teasing light was back, if only a fraction of it, and Noctis couldn't even be annoyed at the jab.

"Yeah, whatever," Noctis returned. "Whatever makes you happy right now."

The energy slowed, and Prompto closed his eyes with a faint sigh. "You make me happy."

Noctis rubbed his thumb along his boyfriend's. "Then I guess you're lucky, because I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving. I promise you that," he said, knowing the weight those words carried and meaning them that much more.

From the ballroom, a violin drew out the last chord of the song, the sweet sound fading into the muffled chatter of the attendees. "I know," Prompto said softly.

They stood still for a few moments after that, Noctis glancing at the door that was still ajar. He felt Prompto's lips against his cheek, which made him smile, and then they separated. "Alright, I'm officially wiped out," Prompto announced. "Enough dancing. Let's watch the worst movie we can find."

The shoe was retrieved, muffling the noise for good. Noctis hummed his agreement to the directions, already daydreaming about his warm bed and cuddly boyfriend. "Gotta make it shitty enough to keep me awake. I won't sleep if I have to make commentary," he said.

Prompto jabbed him in the side with the toe of his shoe. "We both know you won't make it halfway through."

"Be a little optimistic," Noctis retorted.

"Nope." Prompto poked him again, gentler this time. "I'll just keep being realistic."

Noctis hooked his arm around Prompto as they started back to the room they'd left. "Damn, I guess our fairytale night of enchantment really is over, huh? Now it's back to the reality where you bully me," he commented.

"Mh-hm. You're stuck with the real me, baby."

That earned him a return cheek-kiss. "Guess I can live with that," Noctis replied.

The pair grabbed their jackets and shoes before making their way back to Noctis' room, not sparing the ballroom another glance. Before long, it was even mostly put in the back of their minds. Noctis persuaded Prompto into his spare clothes for the rest of the day, which he was very happy about. The exhaustion of the evening hadn't quite left Prompto, but he assured Noctis repeatedly that he was doing okay, and they eventually dropped it.

A mental crash was expected, but it happened sooner than they expected. They fell asleep before their movie even ended, sprawled half-over each other and with the lights still on. The phone fell from Noctis' hand and onto the bed, still playing the terrible comedy to an unconscious audience.

Below, the ball carried on as before. Only a few noted the prince's absence, but spoke nothing of it. Ignis told the king some of the situation, and they all let it be. There were no grand surprises this go-round.

So Prompto and Noctis stayed in bed, blissfully removed from the emotional turmoil of a few hours prior. They had gone through so much to get here, and the peace that surrounded them now was all worth it.

Maybe it had been a good thing that Prompto had encountered Verstael in the end. That confrontation had severed a few more ties for him, and he'd finally let go of that feeling of servitude, once and for all. This was what he wanted—to be himself, and to spend his time with someone he cared deeply for. And hey, the cuddling was nice, too.

In his sleep, a faint smile ghosted Prompto's lips. He was dreaming of taking pictures in a field of sunflowers. When he woke the next morning, he was going to ask Noctis to find that place with him.


End file.
